Portal:Hinduism/Selected article
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Selected articles list
[edit]Portal:Hinduism/Selected article/1
Yoga (Devanagari: योग) is a family of ancient spiritual practices dating back more than 5000 years from India. It is one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy. In India, Yoga is seen as a means to both physiological and spiritual mastery. Outside India, Yoga has become primarily associated with the practice of asanas (postures) of Hatha Yoga (see Yoga as exercise).
Yoga as a means of spiritual attainment is central to Hinduism and has influenced other religious and spiritual practices throughout the world. Hindu texts establishing the basis for yoga include the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and many others.
The four main paths of Yoga are Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Raja Yoga. A committed practitioner of yoga is referred to as a yogi, yogin (masculine), or yogini (feminine).
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Dharma is a key concept with multiple meanings in Hinduism and other Indian religions such as Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. In Hinduism, dharma signifies behaviors that are considered to be in accord with rta, the order that makes life and universe possible. The concept includes duties, rights, laws, sanskara (rites of passage rituals), conduct, morals, ethics, virtues and the ‘‘right way of living’’ for an individual in solitude, in interaction with family, with other human beings, with other living beings, as well as with nature and inanimate objects. Dharma concept incorporates principles such as Yamas, Niyama, Yoga, stages of life, goals of life and others.
Dharma is an ancient concept, that evolved over time in India. The word Dharma appears over fifty times in the Rigveda, dated to be from the 2nd millennium BCE. The concept takes a central place in later Vedic era texts and post-Vedic era Sanskrit literature. Dharma includes the pursuit and execution of one’s nature and true calling, thus playing one’s role in cosmic concert. In Hinduism, it is the dharma of the bee to make honey, of cow to give milk, of sun to radiate sunshine, of river to flow. In terms of humanity, Dharma in Hinduism is the need for, the effect of and essence of service and interconnectedness of all life.
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The Trimurti is a concept that holds that God has three aspects, which are only different forms of the same one God. The three aspects of God are Brahma (the Source/Creator), Vishnu (the Preserver/Indwelling-life) and Shiva (the Transformer -Destroyer/Creator). According to the Trimurti belief, these three personae of God are simply different aspects of the one and the same God.
Though all the three trimurti's are males, each aspect has a female consort, all of which are manifestations of the Supreme Goddess Shakti (power/energy). Brahma was able to create because his consort is Sarasvati, the goddess of speech and learning. Similarly Vishnu's consort Lakshmi, is the Goddess of beauty and fortune making it possible for him to preserve the universe; and Parvati is the consort of Shiva.
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Karma is a concept in Hinduism which explains causality, wherein the intent and actions of an individual influence the future of that individual. Good intent and good deed contribute to good karma and future happiness, while bad intent and bad deed contribute to bad karma and future suffering.
Karma is closely associated with the idea of rebirth in some schools of Hinduism, wherein the karma of an individual in the present affects one's future in the current life, as well as the nature and quality of future lives - or, one's saṃsāra. Other schools of Hinduism, the karma theory impacts an individual's current life by shaping his or her future circumstances in current life, while the present circumstances of the individual are explained with reference to his or her intent and actions in the past. Over time, various schools of Hinduism developed many different definitions of karma, some making karma appear quite deterministic, while others make room for free will and moral agency. The results or "fruits" of actions are called karma-phala.
Karma is an important theory of ethics, and is central to the historical free will and destiny debate within various schools of Hinduism. Karma concept can be traced back to the early Upanishads. All living creatures are responsible for their karma, according to Hinduism. The effects of all intents and deeds, engaged in or avoided consciously or unconsciously, actively create circumstances, thus making one responsible for one's own life, and the suffering and joy it brings to self and others.
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Angkor Wat is a well known Hindu temple at Angkor, Cambodia. The temple was built for king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. The largest and best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre—first Hindu, then Buddhist—since its foundation. The temple itself has become a symbol of Cambodia as it appears on its national flag. The temple is also noted for being the country's prime tourist attraction. The temples style is an example of Khmer architecture, or the Angkor Wat style.
Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temples. This style is designed to represent Mount Meru, which is the home of the gods in Hindu mythology. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west; scholars are divided as to the significance of this.
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The Upanishads (Devanagari: उपनिषद्, IAST: upaniṣad) are Hindu scriptures in Sanskrit language. They contain the central religious concepts of Hinduism, some of which are shared with Buddhism and Jainism. The Upanishads are considered by the Hindus as Sruti, or that "which is heard". The early Upanishads discuss the nature of ultimate reality (brahman), Ātman (Soul, Self), Self-knowledge, and the means for human salvation (Moksha), freedom and a content, happy life in Hinduism.
The Upanishads are the foundation of Hindu philosophical thought and its diverse traditions. Of the Vedic corpus, they alone are widely known, and the central ideas of the Upanishads are at the spiritual core of Hindus.
More than 200 Upanishads are known, of which the first dozen or so are the oldest and most important and are referred to as the principal or main (mukhya) Upanishads. The mukhya Upanishads are found in the Vedas. The oldest, such as the Brhadaranyaka and Chandogya Upanishads, have been dated to the early half of the first millennium BCE. The early Upanishads all predate the Common Era, some in all likelihood pre-Buddhist (6th century BCE), down to the Maurya period of ancient Indian history. Of the remainder, some 95 Upanishads are part of the Muktika canon, composed from about the start of common era through medieval Hinduism. New Upanishads, beyond the 108 in the Muktika canon, continued to being composed through the early modern and modern era, some dealing with subjects which have little to no connection to the Vedas.
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Ganesha(Sanskrit: गणेश or श्रीगणेश () is one of the best-known and most-worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon; his image is found throughout India. Hindu sects worship him regardless of other affiliations. Although he is known by many attributes, Ganesha's elephant head makes him easy to identify. Ganesha is widely revered as the Remover of Obstacles and more generally as Lord of Beginnings and Lord of Obstacles, patron of arts and sciences, and the deva of intellect and wisdom. He is honoured at the start of rituals and ceremonies and invoked as Patron of Letters during writing sessions. Several texts relate mythological anecdotes associated with his birth and exploits and explain his distinct iconography. Ganesha emerged as a distinct deity in clearly-recognizable form in the 4th and 5th centuries, during the Gupta Period, although he inherited traits from Vedic and pre-Vedic precursors. His popularity rose quickly, and he was formally included among the five primary deities of Smartism (a Hindu denomination) in the 9th century. A sect of devotees called the Ganapatya, who identified Ganesha as the supreme deity, arose during this period. The principal scriptures dedicated to Ganesha are the Ganesha Purana, the Mudgala Purana, and the Ganapati Atharvashirsa.
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The Vedas (Sanskrit: वेद) are the main scriptural texts of Hinduism. They constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and are the oldest surviving scriptures amongst the various major world religions.
The Vedas are considered śruti ("that which is heard") by Hindus, and treated as apauruṣeya, which means "not of a man, superhuman, divine, authorless". Hindus consider the Vedas as eternal in nature.
There are four Vedas: the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda and the Atharvaveda. Each Veda has been subclassified into four major text types – the Samhitas (mantras and benedictions), the Aranyakas (text on rituals, ceremonies, sacrifices and symbolic-sacrifices), the Brahmanas (commentaries on rituals, ceremonies and sacrifices), and the Upanishads (text discussing meditation, philosophy and spiritual knowledge). The Upanishads are the foundation of Hindu philosophical thought and its diverse traditions. Of the Vedic corpus, they alone are widely known, and the central ideas of the Upanishads are at the spiritual core of the Hindus.
The various Indian philosophies and schools of Hinduism have taken differing positions on the Vedas. Schools such as Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa and Vedanta which accepted the Vedas as their scriptural authority are classified as "orthodox" (āstika) traditions of Hinduism. The Sramana traditions, such as Carvaka, Ajivika, Buddhism and Jainism, which did not regard the Vedas as authorities are referred to as "heterodox" or "non-orthodox" (nāstika) schools. The six orthodox schools of Hinduism and its two unorthodox schools (Carvaka and Ajivika) have their own interpretations of the Vedas, metaphysics and epistemology.
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Vaishnavism is one of the principal traditions of Hinduism, and is identified by its primary worship of Vishnu (and his associated avatars) as the Supreme God. It is principally monotheistic in its philosophy, whilst also incorporating elements which could be described as being panentheistic. Its beliefs and practices, (known as Bhakti Yoga, or Bhakti) are based largely on Vedic, the Bhagavad Gita, Isha Upanishad and Puranic texts. The followers of Vaishnavism are referred to as 'Vaishnavas', which is the Vriddhi form of Vishnu in Sanskrit. The principal belief of Vaishnavism is the belief of Vishnu or Narayana as the one Supreme God.
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Shaivism (also spelled Saivism, IAST Śaivism; see Sanskrit for pronunciation) is a branch of Hinduism in India that worships Shiva as the supreme God (Bhagawan). Followers of Śaivism are called Śaivas or Śaivites. There are approximately 220 million Śaivites in the world. Śaivism is a form of nondual spiritual practice and philosophy originating in India. Śaivites believe that the entire creation is both an expression of conscious divinity and is non-different from that divinity which they call "Śiva". Because he is simultaneously the created and the creator, Śiva is both immanent and transcendent. Originating in India, Śaivism has appeal all over India and the world. An icon resembling Siva in his aspect of Pasupata has been found among the remains of the Indus Valley Civilization, leading to speculation that Siva may be an ancient indigenous deity who was accepted and incorporated in later Vedic Hinduism.
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Brahman (Sanskrit: ब्रह्मन्) is a key concept in Hinduism, connoting the highest Universal, the Ultimate Reality in the universe. It is, in major schools of Hindu philosophy, the material, efficient, formal and final cause of all that exists. It is the single binding unity behind the diversity in all that exists in the universe. There is no single word translation for the concept of Brahman, and it has various shades of meaning in the various schools of Hinduism. The ancient texts of Hindus variously describe Brahman as the eternal, the infinite which never changes yet is cause of all changes; the "creative principle which lies realized in the whole world"; the "essence of the universe"; the "deeper foundation of all phenomena"; the "essence of the self (Atman, soul)"; and the deeper "truth of a person beyond apparent difference".
Brahman in theistic sub-schools of Hinduism is the genderless, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent entity that is distinct from individual souls, and therein it shares conceptual aspects of God in major world religions. According to other sub-schools of Hinduism, such as the monist Advaita Vedanta, Brahman is identical to the Atman, Brahman is everywhere and inside each living being, and there is connected spiritual oneness in all existence.
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The Ganges River (called Ganga in most Indian languages), is a river in Northern India and Bangladesh. The river has a long history of reverence in India and is worshipped by Hindus as a goddess. It is often called the 'holy Ganga' or 'Ganga ma' (mother Ganga).
The total length of the river is about 2,510 km (1,557 mi). Along with another river Yamuna, it forms a large and fertile basin, known as the Gangetic plains, stretching across north India and Bangladesh, and supports one of the highest densities of human population in the world. About one in every 12 people on earth (8.5% of world population) live in its water catchment area. Due to this incredible concentration of population, pollution and the destruction of habitats are matters of serious concern.
The picture shows Hindus putting lit candles on the Ganges thus demonstrating their immense reverence for the great river.
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Vithoba is a Hindu god, worshipped predominantly in the Indian states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. While generally considered a manifestation of the Hindu god Vishnu or his avatar Krishna, he is sometimes associated with the god Shiva, the Buddha or both. Vithoba is often depicted as a dark young boy, standing arms-akimbo on a brick, sometimes accompanied by his main consort Rakhumai (Rukmini). Vithoba is the focus of the monotheistic, non-brahminical Varkari sect of Maharashtra and the Haridasa sect of Karnataka. Vithoba's main temple stands at Pandharpur in Maharashtra, close to the Karnataka border. Vithoba legends revolve around his devotee Pundalik, who is credited with bringing the deity to Pandharpur, and around Vithoba's role as a saviour to the poet-saints of the Varkari faith. The Varkari poet-saints are known for their unique genre of devotional lyric, the abhanga, dedicated to Vithoba and composed in Marathi. Other devotional literature dedicated to Vithoba includes the Kannada hymns of the Haridasa, and Marathi versions of the generic Hindu arati songs, associated with rituals of offering light to the deity. Though the origins of both his cult and his main temple remain subjects of debate, there is clear evidence that they already existed by the 13th century.
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Saraswati is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom and learning. She is a part of the trinity of Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati in Hinduism. They are the partners of the trinity of Hindu gods Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva respectively.
Saraswati as a goddess is mentioned in the most ancient layer of Sanskrit texts of Hinduism, namely the Rigveda. She has remained significant as a goddess from the Vedic age through modern times of Hindu traditions. She is generally shown to have four arms, but sometimes just two. When shown with four hands, those hands hold a pustaka (book or script), a mala (rosary, garland), a water pot and a musical instrument. Each of these items have symbolic meaning in Hinduism.
Some Hindus celebrate the festival of Vasant Panchami (the fifth day of spring) celebrating goddess Saraswati, and mark the day by helping young children learn how to write alphabets on that day. Saraswati as a goddess of knowledge, music and arts is also found outside India, such as in Japan, Vietnam, Bali (Indonesia) and Myanmar.
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Maya (illusion) is a spiritual concept found in Hinduism. In earliest ancient Sanskrit texts, it literally implies extraordinary power and wisdom. In later Vedic texts and modern literature, Māyā connotes "an illusion where things appear to be present but are not what they seem". It is "that which exists, but is constantly changing and thus is spiritually unreal", and the "power or the principle that conceals the true character of spiritual reality".
The term Maya of Hinduism is sometimes translated as 'illusion', but Maya does not concern normal illusion. In Hinduism, Maya or 'illusion' does not mean that the world is not real and simply a figment of the human imagination. Maya means that the world is not as it seems; the world that one experiences is misleading as far as its true nature is concerned. The true is that which never changes asserts Hinduism, it is the hidden essence and the pristine principles that drive change yet remain unchanged. Maya concept in Hinduism is often discussed with the concept of Atman (soul, self) and Brahman (cosmic soul, eternal universal). Maya is born, changes, evolves, dies with time, from circumstances, due to invisible principles of nature. Atman-Brahman is eternal, unchanging, invisible principle, unaffected absolute and resplendent consciousness. The universe, time and all life is viewed as a holistic expression of Māyā and Ātman in Hinduism.
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Bhagavān, in most contexts, is an epithet for God, particularly for Krishna and other avatars of Vishnu in Vaishnavism, as well as for Shiva in Shaivism tradition of Hinduism. Bhagavān also represents the concept of abstract God to Hindus who are religious but do not worship a specific deity. Bhagavan is male in Bhakti traditions, and female equivalent of Bhagavān is Bhagavatī.
The term Bhagavān does not appear in Vedas, nor in early or middle Upanishads. The oldest Sanskrit texts use the term Brahman to represent an abstract Supreme Soul, Absolute Reality, while using names of deities like Krishna, Vishnu, Shiva, Parvati, Lakshmi, Saraswati to represent gods and goddesses. The word Bhagavān is found in later post-Vedic era literature, such as the Bhagavad Gita and the Puranas. In Bhakti school literature, the term is typically used for any deity to whom prayers are offered; for example, Rama, Ganesha, Kartikeya, Krishna, Shiva or Vishnu. In other literature, the word Bhagavan also refers to a living person who is considered as spiritually enlightened or to one's spiritual teacher. In modern usage, Bhagavān is synonymous with Ishvara, Devatā, Hari or Prabhu, in some schools of Hinduism.
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Ahimsa is a term that means 'not to injure'. Ahimsa concept includes nonviolence against all human beings and all living beings - including animals - in Hinduism and other Indian religions. It is one of the cardinal virtues in Hinduism and a central premise of its ethical theories.
Ahimsa is a multidimensional concept in Hinduism inspired by the premise that all living beings have the spark of the divine spiritual energy; to hurt another being is to hurt oneself. Ahimsa's precept of 'cause no injury' includes injury to any living being through one's deeds, words, and thoughts.
The Chāndogya Upaniṣad, dated to the 8th or 7th century BCE, is the oldest known Hinduism text with the explicit use of the word Ahimsa in the sense of non-violence and a code of conduct. The Hindu Epic Mahabharata declares Ahimsa is the highest virtue, Ahimsa is the highest self-control, Ahimsa is the greatest gift, Ahimsa is the best suffering, Ahimsa is the highest sacrifice, Ahimsa is the finest strength, Ahimsa is the greatest friend, Ahimsa is the greatest happiness, Ahimsa is the highest truth, and Ahimsa is the greatest teaching. Patanjali's Yoga-sutra includes Ahimsa as the first Yamas (virtuous self-restraint). Later ancient literature of Hinduism debate principles of Ahimsa when one is faced with war and situations requiring self-defense. The historic literature from India and modern discussions have contributed to theories of Just War, and theories of appropriate self-defense.
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Iravan (Aravan) is a minor character from the Hindu epic of Mahabharata. The son of Pandava prince Arjuna (one of the main heroes of the Mahabharata) and the Naga princess Ulupi, Iravan is the central god of the cult of Kuttantavar and plays a major role in the cult of Draupadi. Both these cults are of South Indian origin, from a region of the country where he is worshipped as a village deity. The Mahabharata portrays Iravan as dying a heroic death in the 18-day Kurukshetra War, the epic's main subject. However, the South Indian cults have a supplementary tradition of honouring Iravan's self-sacrifice to the goddess Kali to ensure her favour and the victory of the Pandavas in the war. The South Indian cult focus on three boons granted to Iravan by the god Krishna in honour of this self-sacrifice. Iravan is also a patron god of well-known Indian transgender communities called Ali. In Koovagam, Tamil Nadu, an 18-day festival holds a ceremonial marriage of Iravan to Alis and male villagers and followed then by their "widowhood" after ritual re-enactment of Iravan's sacrifice. Iravan is also known in Indonesia. Independent Javanese traditions present a dramatic marriage of Irawan to Titisari, daughter of Krishna, and a death resulting from a case of mistaken identity.
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Nominations
[edit]Feel free to add Featured, top or high importance Hindu mythology, Hindu philosophy, or Hinduism articles to the above list. Other Hinduism-related articles may be nominated here.
Current nominations
[edit]Choose the next "Selected article":
- Reason: Holiest city, sounds adequate.
- Date to be selected: Anytime
- Sign with date: Húsönd 21:25, 12 January 2007 (UTC)
- Reason: One of the most identifiable and popular Hindu gods (& is a GA)
- Date to be selected: Anytime
- GizzaChat © 03:37, 13 January 2007 (UTC)
Approved. Arjun 04:11, 13 January 2007 (UTC)- Approved. seems ok.--Dwaipayan (talk) 04:56, 4 February 2007 (UTC)
- Isn't Ganesha already a selected article - 7???? --Redtigerxyz 13:53, 10 June 2007 (UTC)